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Sunday, 15 June 2008

Two years on the road - highlights from Sabang.

Well, two years away from home. Wow. 731 days (including a leap year). I left home on the 12th June 2006 and today is the 14th June 2008. I find myself currently in the Philippines for the 6th time. This time last year I was in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This time two years ago I was on a bus from Newcastle to Aberdeen.

I am now in Sabang, Mindoro Island. I arrived in Manila last week. I was on the maiden flight from Kaohsiung - Manila. At Kaosiung airport there was a free buffet and a little ceremony with all the head-honchos from www.cebupacificair.com. I was the only Westerner on it. I ate the free scran and then they gave me a shell necklace and a gucci new colgate toothbrush! It was a laugh watching the directors giving speeches and cutting ribbons with scissors just before we boarded.

I arrived in Manila and met Don in Malate where we spent 2 nights drinking cheap booze before heading back to the TownHouse hostel in Baclaran. This is where we first met in January so it was a little nostalgic as we drank beer and sang karaoke terribly. I then went to the airport to meet Zi Ting. I waited 3 hours before realising she was not even on the plane. She had visa problems at Kaohsiung airport. She tried to call me but I had drunkenly lost my cellphone. I am still devastated she never made it. It also means we wasted the money on her flights. I am still determined to get her here though. I was really afraid that she had missed me in arrivals and was in Manila alone - not a great thing when you don't know whats going on. Manila can be a little scary for a first timer.

With a sad heart and another skinful of San Miguel we headed to Sabang where we are now drinking, swimming and walking through jungles. I love it here. This place rocks and I am thinking of staying here for at least 80 days. I will have to extend my 21 day visa for a further 59 days in a fortnight.

We are actually a trio at the moment as we met a lad called Jez at the TownHouse. He is originally from Leeds but has been driving trucks in New Zealand for the last year. He still has a very strong Yorky accent. He was going to go to Boracay but we talked him into coming to Sabang with us. He loves it and does not want to return to Kiwi-land. Can't say I can blame him like! He is a bit mad though. Only yesterday after boozing all day, he threw his cellphone off the floating bar for reasons that remain a mystery to me. He has taken the ferry to Batangas to get a new one today! Nutter!

So here I am happy as Larry for the foreseeable.

I almost forgot. I am now a 'celebrity' on the BBC. I was browsing www.bbc.co.uk/tyne when I noticed a link to "Expat Geordies". I read a few of them and realised I could be one of these. I sent an email and they said they were interested. I sent a few pics with a little info and some answers to a few of their questions. This is the link:

I asked them to include a link to my blog but they said they couldn't really do it as there are to many profanities in it - hehe. I understand as maybe kids could click the link and be exposed to f-ing and b-ing. Not the best thing. When I first clicked on the link I felt a mixture of pride and embarrassment! Haha.

Following is a summary of highlights and lowlights of the last couple of years.

Most expensive

1. Iceland (easily)

2. Japan

3. Sweden

4. Korea

5. Faroe Islands

6.Denmark

Cheapest

1. Burma

2. Laos

3.Cambodia

4.Indonesia

5. Vietnam

6. China

7.Thailand

8. Philippines

9. Mongolia

Most beautiful place

1. Iceland

2. Mongolia

3. Malaysia (Borneo)

4. Thailand

5. Philippines

Scariest

1. Bali dogs

2. Thai ladyboys

3. Malaysian monkeys

4. Drunk Korean bloke

5. Taiwan Earthquake

6. Philippine typhoon

7. Taiwan immigration

8. Japanese customs

9. Any Asian bus.

10. Old haggered Russian Hotel receptionists.

Longest bus trips

1. Burma. Bagan - Yangon 16hrs

2. Burma. Bago - Kalaw 14hrs

3. Dozens around 10hrs which was my self-imposed maximum limit. I did quite well only breaching it twice in 2 years.

4. Some have been ridiculously slow. I think 10hrs for 200km (120mile) in the Himalayas is probably my worse. 2hrs for 40km in Laos was pretty slow going too.